With Sen. Majority Leader Steven Horsford and Speaker John Oceguera both deciding to run for Congress, however, there is a chance for new Democratic leaders, including Assembly Majority Leader Marcus Conklin, to separate the debate on Nevada's tax structure from the debate on how much Nevada collects in taxes.

In an interview on Nevada Newsmakers, Conklin indicated he's willing to do just that. (11:19 mark)

Conklin: There are significant downfalls with the current revenue system. So even if it's not an increase, at least from my perspective, I think we need to continue to take a hard look at the revenue system that we have in place, which was largely built in the 60s and 70s. And the question is, "Does it reflect the economic activity that takes place in our state these days?" And I think the answer to that is probably no. [Emphasis added]

While I would be shocked if Conklin didn't also want a massive tax increase during the 2013 session, it's encouraging to hear him say that he's willing to discuss Nevada's tax structure and the amount Nevada collects in taxes separately.

Victor Joecks is executive vice president at the Nevada Policy Research Institute and oversees the execution of NPRI's strategic plan and policy initiatives. He joined the Institute in 2009 and previously served as its communication director. Under his leadership, NPRI obtained record amounts of state and national media coverage.